Pope Leo XIV has Pennsylvania, Great Lakes links. What local catholic heads think

Yahoo

08-05-2025

The new Catholic pope has a Pennsylvania connection.
Pope Leo XIV, the first pope from the United States, attended Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania, about 15 miles northwest of Philadelphia and just shy of 400 miles from Erie. The former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost received a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics in 1977 from the Augustinian Catholic university.
He went on to attend Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome and spent numerous years ministering in Peru.
Although no immediate connections to Erie were known, Pope Leo XIV was born in another of the Great Lakes cities ― Chicago. Whether or not they were familiar with him, many Erie-area Catholics were watching May 8 as his name was announced.
In a statement sent by the Catholic Diocese of Erie, Bishop Lawrence Persico said Pope Leo XIV "brings a wealth of pastoral experience and a deep commitment to the Gospel. There is great anticipation that our new bishop, a faithful shepherd whose spirit of peace and commitment to building bridges, will guide us toward greater unity, healing and hope."
Persico said the former cardinal's experience in South America, particularly Peru, and in Europe gives him a unique perspective on unifying the church across continents.
"Though relatively new to the College of Cardinals, he is a spiritual leader serving as prefect of the Dicastery of Bishops, a prominent role in the Catholic Church," Persico said in the statement.
He encouraged people to attend Masses offered for the intentions of the new pope and to include him in prayers.
Recalling Leo XIV's predecessor, Persico said, "Let us also remember the words of Pope Francis, who reminded us that 'the church is called to be the house of the Father, with doors always wide open.' May we continue to embody this spirit of openness and love in our communities."
A large group of sisters and staff gathered around a television at Mount Saint Benedict Monastery in Harborcreek Township after lunch on May 8 to learn the new pope's identity.
Sister Linda Romey, communications director for the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, said none of them had ever worked with Prevost or knew him. They weren't as impressed with him being American as they were with his expansive background and experience in Peru, she said.
They felt his choice of the name Leo could indicate a strong support of Catholic social teaching and his mention of synodality could indicate a similar line of leadership as the late Pope Francis.
From April: Erie Catholic Bishop Lawrence Persico, others remember Pope Francis
"There was a sense of hope in the room," Romey said.
Dana Massing can be reached at [e-mail].
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Pope Leo XIV: The new pope's Pennsylvania, Great Lakes ties